John Bel Edwards Appointed Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School

Fishman Haygood special counsel John Bel Edwards recently was appointed a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School (IOP) for the Spring 2024 semester. Click here to see the announcement in the Harvard Gazette.

Edwards joins a select group of eight Fellows, each chosen to bring their unique expertise and insight to Harvard’s students and community given their diverse experience in global politics, elected office, legal affairs, and journalism. Their role is to help inspire students to pursue careers in public service and prepare the next generation to provide impactful leadership in the United States and worldwide.

“I am honored and delighted to be among such a prestigious group of Fellows selected to the IOP program,” said Edwards. “I look forward to connecting with the Harvard community and imparting the knowledge I gained during my time as governor of Louisiana. I hope that by sharing my experiences as a public servant with our future leaders, it will help prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead in their professional careers.”

Edwards is the only Visiting Fellow among seven other Resident Fellows, meaning that he will attend IOP for a shorter stay and participate in a variety of comprehensive discussions, events, and programming. The IOP Resident Fellows are fully engaged with the Harvard community. They reside on campus, mentor a cohort of undergraduate students, hold weekly office hours, and lead an eight-week study group based on their experience and expertise. Each fellowship is individually tailored to the background of the visiting fellow, as well as his or her calendar availability.

The esteemed group of fellows also includes the following individuals:

• Kostas Bakoyannis: Mayor of Athens, Greece (2019-2023), Governor of Central Greece (2014-2019), Mayor of Karpenissi, Greece (2011-2014)
• Jeff Denham: S. Representative, CA-19/10 (2011-2019), California State Senate (2002-2010), U.S. Air Force
• Josh Gerstein:  Senior Legal Affairs Reporter for Politico
• William Hurd: Former Republican Presidential Candidate (2023), U.S. Representative, TX-23 (2015-2021), and former CIA officer (2000-2009)
• Alison King: Political Reporter for NBC10 Boston/NECN for nearly three decades
• Grisella M. Martinez: Strategist, former Director of Legislative Affairs for Vice President Kamala D. Harris
• Erika Mouynes: Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama (2020-2022), Chair of the Board of the Atlantic Council-Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and is a current fellow at the Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative

Edwards devotes his time to worthy causes. Among his many appointments, he was elected to the Board of Directors of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) in 2016, going on to serve as vice-chairman (2018-2019) and as chairman (2019-2022). He also chaired the Southern Region Education Board (SREB) in 2017-2018. Click here to read more about Fishman Haygood’s community involvement.

Edwards works with both the firm’s business and litigation teams with a focus on renewable energy matters. Click here to learn about his practice.